Murano - Santa Maria e San Donato

The first church probably existed here, on the siland of Murona, already in the 7th century. A large church, named "Santa Mariae plebis Murianensis" was erected within the 10th century. Legends connect the building to Otto I, and it is proven that it was completed in 999.

This church got rebuild around 1040. In 1125, the relics of St. Donatus, that had been attained by the Venitian forces, led by Doge Domenico Michele, were translated to this church. The church and the campanile are built with red bricks.

Santa Maria e San Donato, once the cathedral of the Bishops of Murano and Torcellino, is known for the fantastic floor mosaics and cosmatesque decorations, that, following the inscription, seen here, was completed 1140.

The mosaics cover the complete floor of the church.

The "Funeral of Fox", going back to one of Aesop´s fabels. The story (the fox only only pretends to be dead - and in the end..) was as well told in the very popular "Le Roman de Renart" written down around 1170 in Northern France.

Similar mosaics are in Venice (San Marco) and Ravenna (San Giovanni Evangelista).